Motor vehicle control



' 940. F. s. CARTWRIGHT MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROL Filed Feb. 6. i957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Jr "5 ATTokNEYb.

' 23, 1940. F. s. CARTWRIGHT MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROL Filed Feb. 6, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. 6', (12/- {avg/2,

ATTORNEYJ.

' 23, 1940. F. s. CARTWRIGHT MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROL Filed Feb. 6, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 M V @H A.

ATTORNEYJ.

' 23, 1940. F. s. CARTWRIGHT MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROL Filed Feb.. 6, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR.

W Mm 4/. T A A a J J? BY Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROL Forest S. Cartwright, Indianapolis, Ind. Application. February 6, 1937, Serial No. 124,449

14 Claims.

In the operation of the average motor vehicle the operator, in order to effect a change in the driving gear ratio, at any driven speeds inexcess of motor-idling speeds, must not only declutch the motor from the driving train but must also move the throttle valve (generally through the medium of the foot-controlled accelerator lever) to closed or idling position to avoid racing of the motor during the period of gear manipulation, and, when the gear shift has been effected, must open the throttle and reclutch the motor to the driving train.

Various devices have heretofore been provided to automatically perform some of these operations, such, for instance, as the so-called electric hand which, at the present time, is standard equipment in two well-known makes of automobiles.

The object of my present invention is, therefore, to provide mechanism which, in conjunction with any well-known or satisfactory gear-shifting mechanism, either manually or mechanically controlled, upon manipulation of the gear-shift control element, while the driver retains current super-idling speed setting of the driver-controlled throttle-valve-controlling element lever) will act to automatically declutch the motor and close the throttle valve preliminary to gear shift and then restore the throttle valve to its immediately previous setting and reclutch the motor, all irrespective of whether the gear-shifting be toward a higher or a lower speed ratio, thereby insuring against motor stalling or racing at all times of gear shifting.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention:

Fig. 1 is a transverse elevation of apparatus embodying my invention;

. Fig. 2 is a distorted side elevation of the parts .shown in Fig. 1, together with a diagrammatic illustration of associated parts; I

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of an electric-hand gear shift coordinated with my device;

Fig, 4a fragmentary side elevation of .a modified hand gear shift lever for coordination with my device;

. Fig. 5 an elevation at right angles to the plane of Fi 4;

Fig. 6 an under plan of parts shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modification of my invention;

Fig. 8 a view similar to Fig. 3, showing an (accelerator electric hand gear shift coordinated with the mechanism shown in Fig. '7;

Figs. 9 and 10 views-similar to Figs, 4 and 5,

show a modified hand gear shift coordinated with any desired type provided with a throttle valve H to which is attached an operating arm l2 spring biased to closedposition by the spring l3. Pivotally attached to arm I2 is a slotted link l4 held in position for vertical reciprocation by finger Hi, the tip of which lies in the upper end of slot I5 of the link. Hooked into slot I5 is the upper end of a finger I6, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to a bell-crank lever I'l spring biased, in opposition to spring l3, by a spring l8 capable of overpowering spring l3. Bell-crank lever l! is connected by the usual Bowden wire I9 with the accelerator pedal 20, the connection being such that depression of said pedal, in the usual manner, will position finger I! to determine the limit of possible opening movement of throttle valve l I under the urge of spring I3.

A link 25, pivoted at one end to arm [2, is pivoted at the other end to an arm 26 carried by shaft 21 journalled in suitable supports 28 and 29, which last-mentioned support supports a solenoid 'coil 30 within which is reciprocably mounted -a core 3| connected by a link 32 with an arm 33 attached to a tubular rock shaft 34'journa1led on shaft 21 and provided with an arm 35 connected by a link 36 with the stem of the control valve 31 of an air cylinder 38 of the well-known Bendix clutch control, said cylinder 38 containing a piston connected by rod 39 with the clutch controlling pedal 39' of the automobile, said cylinder being connected through the ports A controlled bythe valve B with the'motor inlet manifold C, and atmosphere, in a well-known manner, whereby the piston is reciprocated to mechanically operate the clutch control pedal'to clutch releasing position when the cylinder piston is actuated as a result of removal of atmospheric pressure on one side and is permitted to return to clutching position under the impulse of its actuating spring, in a well-known manner.

Attached to the rock-shaft 2? is an arm 40 having a oneway engagement with pinv 4| carried by arm 35, the arrangement being such-that, when the solenoid coil 30 is energized and plunger 3| drawn upwardly, pin 4| will engage arm 40 to rock-shaft 21 in a direction to actuate arm l2,

through the medium of arm 26 and link 25, to a move the throttle valve ll against the bias of spring l3, to closed or idling position, this movement being permitted irrespective of the position of finger [6 under the influence of the accelerator pedal because of the oneway connection between said finger l6 and the link It.

In the normal installation of the aforementioned Bendix clutch control, the controlling valve thereof has been so associated with the accelerator pedal that, when the said pedal is in its released position the valve will be moved to connect the cylinder with the inlet manifold to cause actuation of the piston to declutch the motor from the driving train and to permit an automatic reclutching as soon as the accelerator pedal is depressed a very small amount, thus permitting a free wheeling operation of the vehicle, under control of the driver, when the supply of fuel is only sufiicient, or very little in excess of sufficient, to drive the motor at or about idling speed. This is, of cause, a desirable condition and I, therefore, provide an energizing circuit 58 for the coil 30 said circuit comprising separable terminals 5! and 52 one of which is carried by the accelerator pedal to contact with its fellow terminal when the accelerator pedal is at idling position but separated therefrom when said pedal is moved from or to a desirable distance from the idling position. I

For the purpose of my invention it is also necessary that the solenoid coil 3% be energized whenever the gear shifting element is in neutral position.

Where gear shifting is to be accomplished by hand manipulation, the gear shift lever 50 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) is modified by removal of the usual gear yoke shifting lower end and substitution therefor of a yoke shifting finger or tip 5! carried by a carrier 52 pivoted upon the lower end of lever 50 at 53 and capable of a slight mov ment, either forward or back, relative to the lower end of lever 55!. This carrier 52 is normally held in its intermediate or neutral position relative to lever 55 by means of spring pressed balls 54, 54 mounted in suitable pockets in carrier 52 and normally seating in pockets 55, 55 formed in the opposite faces of the lower end of lever 5%.

The opposite walls of carrier 52 are perforated at 56 and near the lower end of lever 50 there is provided a spring pocket 51 within which is mounted a terminal brush 58- Which, in the neutral position of the parts, rests against the adjacent face of an insulating block 59 within which are mounted two terminals (in, 50 upon opposite sides of the neutral position of terminal 58. Terminals 58, 69, 59 are in an energizing circuit 6! for the solenoid coil 33. When lever 5a is moved in either direction, forward or back, from neutral, the resistance offered by the shifting yokes to movement of tip 53 permits an initial movement of lever 58 to bring terminal 58 into contact with the appropriate terminal 60 so as to energize coil 30 whereupon, the lost motion between lever 58 and carrier 52 having been taken up, further movement of the shifting lever starts the shifting yoke of the speed changing gearing into movement and, as the'lever 5t nears the end of its stroke, terminal 58 is carried beyond the contact of terminal 60 as the shifting yoke stroke is completed. When the lever 58 is released the spring balls 54 snap back into their pockets 55 and move lever 59 to its neutral position relative to carrier 52. On the return stroke of lever 50 toward neutral, contact is again made between terminal 58 and the adjacent terminal 60, to energize coil 3!] and keep it energized until the lever nears its neutral position whereupon terminal 58 is separated from that terminal 60 to de-energize coil 38 and the spring balls 54 again snap back into their pockets to neutralize carrier 52 relative to lever 58.

My invention may be readily associated with -mechanical gear shifting means provided as a substitute for the present better known hand operated gear shift mechanism, and in Fig. 3 I have indicated diagrammatically how this association may be accomplished in connection with the so-called Bendix electric hand.

In that device a piston rod ill responds to variations in pressure in a cylinder H, and rod 70 acts upon an arm 72 of the yoke shifting mechanism of a standard speed gear transmission. The control of pressure acting upon piston rod ill by means of a small hand lever 13 which is mounted upon the steering post and is a miniature edition of an ordinary hand gear shift lever rockable' both laterally and forward and back in conjunction with a miniature t-lv slot of well known form. Associated with the lever 13 is a fixed terminal plate M having spring tips '15, 1'6 and a spring terminal l7 adaptedto be contacted with plate It by the action of lever 13 when said lever is in its neutral position. Associated with terminals '15, 18 are companion terminals 15 and 16', respectively. The rod 10 is grounded and carries a terminal 78 having a lateral intermediate tip 79. Terminal 18 contacts simultaneously with terminals 8t and BI except at the opposite limits of the stroke of rod Hi. Terminal tip 19 contacts alternately with terminals 82 and 83 which terminals are connected by wire 84 with spring terminal 11. Terminal 83 is connected by Wire 85 with terminal '15 and terminal 8i is connected by wire 16 with terminal-76'. Thus far the mechanism just described is found in the so-called electric hand mechanism and in order to utilize my improvement in connection with such electric hand it is merely necessary to provide a ground connection for my coil 30, through the medium of wire 81 to terminal plate 71.

In Fig. 3, rod in and its associated terminals 78-19 is shown in neutral position and spring terminal 1'! is held in contact with terminal It by lever 73 in its neutral position. When said lever 13 is swung clockwise it will release terminal T! from contact with terminal 14 and will cause terminal 15 to contact with terminal thereby establishing an energizing circuit for solenoid 30 as follows:

Hot Wire 90, solenoid 30, 81, 74, I5, 15", 85, 80, 18, Ill to ground, thereby energizing the clutch release mechanism to release the clutch, and also moving the throttle valve to minimum fuel position, as previously-described. This circuit is maintained until terminal 18 passes from con tact with either terminals or 8! (depending upon the direction of motion of rod Hi determined by the positioning of lever 13) said separation breaking the energizing circuit of solenoid 30 so that the clutch is restored to clutching position and the throttle valve is permitted to opento the'point determined by the setting of finger l4.

Movement of rod Hi to one of its extremes,

say to contact 19 with 82, provides the following broken circuit for solenoid 30: Ground 70, 18-49, 82, 86, TI, brake 87, 3B, 90, so that-when 13 is moved to neutral, in anticipation of another gear shift positioning, coil 30 is energized and the moved to minimum'fuel position as previously described, whereupon, I3 being moved to contact I6 with I6, a retaining circuit for energization of coil 30 is established through 18, 86, I6, I6 and 81 to hold the declutched and minimum fuel positioning of the parts until the new gear relationship is established.

Figs. 7 to 11 illustrate modifications which provide for clutch control through the medium of the accelerator pedal while the gear shift control lever is in neutral, low and reverse, only,

and provide for carburetor control, through the medium of the automatic declutching mechanism,

to prevent motor racing before the'clutch has taken hold.

. In these figures, parts, the same as, those in the preceding figures, are similarly. numbered. Link 36, however, has its outer end slidably mounted in a longitudinal slot 31" in the stem of control valve 31' (valve 31 of Figs. 1 and 2) so as to be capable of shifting said control valve in the opening direction only, and valve 31 is yieldingly biased to closed position by spring I00. Slidably associated with the stem of valve 31', by means of fork It, is a composite link comprising the telescoped parts I02, I03, tied together by the pin and slot connection I04 and yieldingly held in extended relation by spring I05. The outer end of part I02 is provided with a finger or teat I06 adapted to longitudinally interlockwith the stem of valve 31' by entering notch I01, and is alsoprovided with a portion I08 resting and riding upon a vertically movable plate or track I09 carried by the core III] of a solenoid H, the arrangement being such that, when the solenoid is energized, plate or track I09 will urge part I02 laterally toward the stem of valve 3'! to force I06 into I01 and retain it therein whenever I06 is registered with I01.

The outer end of part I03 is pivotally connected to bell-crank lever III which is connected by link IIZ to the accelerator pedal 20 in such manner that depression of said pedal, to in-. crease gas supply, will move link -I02I03 to the left (Fig. 7) i. e., in the direction of closing movement of valve 31'.

In order'to energize the solenoid'when the gear shift control element is in selected positions only, various mechanisms, analogous to those now to be described, may be provided.

For instance, when the car is equipped with the so-called electric hand gear shift mechanism, illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 11, there will be the gear shift cylinder having piston stem 10 which actuates arm I2 of a rockshaft I2 whichis axiallyshifted, through the medium of rocker-fork IIZ, diaphragm H3 and control valve H4; Consequently I provide the wrist pin 12" of arm I2 with a grounded contact finger I8 having contact points H5, H6, H1, and H8 coordinated with arc-shaped terminal plates 80, 8|, 82, 83 and I24 arranged to be traversed by said contact points as arm I2 is swung.

Contacts H and H5 respectively traverse and remain in contact with terminal plates 60 and BI in all positions of the outer end of arm I2. Contact III alternately contacts terminal plates 82 and 83, (which are electrically integral by reason of connection I23) when arm I2 is swung in either direction from neutral, and is out of 'contact with each of said plates when arm I2 is in neutral. Terminal plate I24 is so shaped (conveniently T-shaped as shown) that at all times when arm I2 is in low gear or reverse ;gear positions (and while passing to and from said gear positions) contact point II8 will be in contact therewith and, when arm I2 is shifted axially preparatory to second gear or high gear position, but when said arm is rocked in either r5 direction from neutral toward second gear or high gear position, point II8 will pass off from said plate I24, as will be clearly apparent from 'Plates 82 and 83 are connected by wire 84 with spring terminal 11.

In the structure now under consideration, if gear shifting is to be accomplished by hand (in- 5 stead of by the electric hand) the gear shift lever 50 is modified (as described in connection with Fig. 5) by the carrier 52 (similar to 52, Fig. 5). The lever 50 is, as is well known, capable of forward and rearward swing to cause gear 225 shifting, and lateral swing to position its lower end forgear shift selection, and the carrier 52' has a limited swing upon the lower end of the lever in the plane of gear shift movement.

Carrier .52 is provided with two grounded contacts I 30, I3I mounted for movement in a line transverse to the plane of gear shift movement of lever 53 and are spring-urged outwardly in opposite directions by spring I32, outward movement of contact I30 being limited by shoul-z; der I33.

Terminal plate I3 is arranged to be engaged by contact I30 only when lever 50 is in its selective position for low gear and reverse gear, there being no contact of I30 on I34 when the lever 50 is in its medial position or in its selective position for second gear and high gear. 7

Contact I3! cooperates selectively with terminal plates I35, I36 and I3'I in'all positions of lever 50, i. e., with I36 when in medial position and respectively with I or I3'I when shifted forward or back from medial position.

Terminals I34 and I35 are connected by wire I38with the coil of solenoid I I0. while terminals I35 and I37 are connected by wire I39 with thewo coil of solenoid 30. Consequently solenoid IIO is energized whenever lever 50 is in medial (forward and back) position whether in neutral or .in either gear-shift-selective position and is also energized while lever 50 moves to and oocupiesgu either low gear or reverse gear position, and is de-energized while lever 50 moves to and occupies either second gear or high gear position. Also solenoid 30 is energized when lever 50 moves from medial position to occupy any one of the fourmo selective gear positions.

In order to prevent motor racing arm 40 of Figs. 1 and 2 is replaced by arm 40' which performs the function of arm 40 and in addition is provided with a stop-are I40 positioned and pro- 465 portioned to cooperate with a stop lever I4I pivoted at I42 (on a laterally adjustable support I42 if desired). Lever Itl is connected by pin and slot connection I43 with the stem 39 of the automatic declutching mechanism. in)

Spring I3, through the medium of arm I2 biases the throttle valve I I to fully open position and, through the medium of link 25, arm ZB-and shaft 21, biases arm 40 to a position which will .be dependent :upon' the spring-biased movement of warm I2 permitted throughthe medium of link I4 and finger It, the maximum spring-urged movement of arm 49' occuring when the accelerator pedal has been fully depressed, and the minimum position of arm occurring, as the result of the pull of It on M acting on 25, 26 and 21 when the acceleration of pedal .is in released or idling position, at which time are I49 is positioned that the upper end of lever MI may swing under the stop surface I49. The connection of MI with 39 is such that, as 39 moves to the .left (Figs. 2 and -'1) in its declutching movement, carrier I M of IGI passes under carrier I 39 and, during movement of 39' in its opposite clutching movement carrier MI passes from under carrier I49 approximately at the time of clutch engagement so that, at the movement of clutching, shaft 21 is released to permit spring I3 to move the throttle valve in opening direction to an extent determined by the then position of the accelerator pedal and the consequent setting of finger I6. Additional fuel is thus supplied to the motor approximately at the moment of clutching so that motor racing cannot occur.

Assuming that the electric circuits are con nected to the battery, through the medium of the ignition key, or otherwise, it will be noted that, with the gear-selector (59 in Fig. 9, or 12-I I 4 in Fig. 8) in neutral or laterally displaced medial position solenoid III! will be energized to cause track I99 to press I95 of I92 upon 31, and that if the gear-selector (13 Fig. 8; 59 Fig. '1) is then shifted to either low gear or reverse gear position the energization of H9 will be maintained and 39 will be energized to move valve 31' to the right (Fig. 7) to bring I01 into position to receive I06 and thus interlock the control valve of the automatic declutching mechanism with the accelerator pedal. The aforesaid interlocking will be maintained so long as III) remains energized, so that the operator may obtain mechanical declutching operation diu'ing such times of energization of H9 by permitting the accelerator pedal to move to or near idling position.

Spring I83 permits opening manipulation of valve 31 through the medium of solenoid 39 even though that valve be interlocked with accelerator pedal, and the pin and slot connection of I25 with 31" permits opening movement of said valve by the accelerator pedal when solenoid 39 is not energized.

The construction diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 11 is, in itself, not a part of my invention but is the so-called electric'hand gear shift mechanism which was on the market at the time of filing this application. The clutch pedal I59 controls a circuit breaker I5I, the terminal I52 of which is connected by wires I53 through the ignition switch I54 to a battery I55. The other terminal I55 is connected by a wire I51 through a cutout switch I58 with a brush contact I 59 contacting with the shaft I50 which is positioned by the selective lever I92 generally carried on the steering post.

The usual hand controlled gear shift I53 is cooperative With the usual shifting forks IIi I-I65 of an ordinary gear shift box I65. The gear shift lever I63 is also associated with a yoke I6? carried by the shaft 12 which is both .rockable and axially shiftable and is also associated with a sliding plate I68 which is associated with shaft 12 so as to partake of the rocking movements of shaft I2 to cause axial shifting of the forks Hid-I65. Arm 12 on shaft 12' is provided with a radially extending plate-like portion 12" which can .traverse in a notch H2 in lever .I I2, the arrangement being such that rocking movements of shaft 12'may be accomplished without causing movement of lever H2 and rocking move- I ments of lever II2 will cause axial shifting of shaft 12. The control valve II I comprises a plurality of valves I'I'fi, HI and I12, each .con trolled by its own solenoid I19, HI and I12, respectively, which are in circuit with the switch I6! anda switch I15, the terminals of which are selectively positioned by reason of the connection I16. The valves I19, HI and I12 control the flow of fluid pressure to and from the pressure chamber H3, which affects diaphragm H3 through the conduit I 11 and these valves I19, Ill and I12 also control the flow of fluid pressure to the cylinderI18 in which is the piston I19 which carries .the piston rod 10.

This construction, which is well known, is such that, by manipulation of the selective element I62 shaft 12, by an appropriate rocking and axial shifting, accomplished selectively by controlled movements of the piston I19 and diaphragm I I3, serve to selectively position the gears of the gear box I 66.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a motor of the internalcombustion type, a power train including a stepby-step speed-changing gearing, clutching means interposed between the motor and power train, a throttle valve controlling flow of fuel to the motor, operator-controlled means for positioning said throttle valve, power-actuated means for alternatively positioning said clutching means, a second power-actuated means for selectively positioning the speed changing gearing, including an operator-controlled selector, a control element for controlling the application of power to the power-actuated clutch-operating means, a third power-actuatedmeans, connections between said third power-actuated means, the power-controlling element of the clutch operating means, and the throttle valve whereby declutching .is accompanied by throttle-valve minimum-fuel positioning and means controlled by the gear-shift selector for controlling application of power to said third power-actuated means.

2. The combination of amotor of the internalcombustion type, a power train including a stepby-step speed-changing gearing, clutching means interposed between the motor and power train, a throttle valve controlling flow of fuel to the motor, operator-controlled means for positioning said throttle valve, power-actuated means for alternatively positioning said clutching means, a second power-actuated means .for selectively positioning the speed changinggearing, including an operator-controlled selector, a control element for controlling the applicationof power to the power-actuated clutch-operating means, a third power-actuated means, connections between said third power-actuated means, the power-controlling elementof the clutch operating means, and the throttle valve whereby declutching is accompanied by throttle-valve minimum-fuel positioning and means controlled by the gear shift selector for controlling application of power to said third power-actuated means, the connection between said third power-actuated means and throttle valve and between said third power-actuated means and the control element of the second power-actuated means being such that actuation of the throttle valve to minimum fuel position 'by said third power-actuated means is independent of the operator-controlled throttlevalve positioning means. v

3.'-Apparatus of the character specified in claim 1 and including means controlled by the operatorcontrolled means for the throttle valve for controlling the application of powerto said third power-actuated means.

4.- Apparatus of the character specified in claim 2 and including means controlled by the operatorinterposed between the motor and power train,

positioning the speed changing gearing including an operator-controlled selector, a control element for controlling the application of power to the power-actuated clutch-operating means, a solenoid, connections between said solenoid, the control element of the clutch-operating means and the throttle valve whereby declutching is accompanied by throttle-valve minimum-fuel positioning, and an energizing circuit for said solenoid controlled by the gear shift selector.

6. The combination of a motor of the internalcombustion type, a power train including a stepby-step speed-change gearing, clutching means interposed between the motor and power train,

a throttle valve controlling flow of fuel to the motor, operator-controlled means forpositioning said throttle valve, power-actuated means for alternatively positioning the clutching means, means for selectively positioning the speed changing gearing, a control element for controlling the application of power to the power-actuated clutch-operating means, a solenoid, connections between said solenoid, the control element of the clutch-operating means and the throttle valve whereby declutching is accompanied by throttle valve minimum-fuel positioning, and an energizing circuit for said solenoid controlled by the gear shift, the connections between the solenoid, the throttle valve and the control element of the power clutch operator being such that actuation of the throttle valve to minimum-fuel position by said solenoid is independent of the operator-controlled throttle valve positioning means.

7. The combination of a motor of the internalcombustion type, a power train including a stepby-step speed-change gearing, clutching means a throttle valve controlling flow of fuel to the motor, operator-controlled means for positioning said throttle valve, power-actuated means for,

alternatively positioning the clutching means, a second power-actuated means for selectively positioning the speed changing gearing, includ ing an operator-controlled selector, a control element for controlling the application of power to the power-actuated clutch-operating means, a solenoid, connectionsbetween said solenoid, the control element of the clutch-operating means and the throttle valve whereby declutching isv accompanied by throttle valve minimum-fuel positioning, and an energizing circuit for said solenoid controlled by the gear shift selector, the

connections between the solenoid, the throttle" valve, and the control element of the power clutch operator being such that actuation of the throttle valve to minimum-fuel position by said solenoid is independent of the operator-controlled throttle valve positioning means. r

8. Apparatus of the character specified in claim 5 and including an energizing circuit tor the solenoid, including a circuit-control influenced by the operator-controlled means for positioning the throttle valve.

9. Apparatus of the character specified in claim 6 and including an energizing circuit for the solenoid, including a circuit-control influenced by the operator-controlled means for positioning the throttle valve.

10. Apparatus of the character specified in claim '7 and including an energizing circuit for the solenoid, including a circuit-control influenced by the operator-controlled means for positioning the throttle valve.

11. The combination of a motor of the internal-combustion type, a power train including a step-by-step speed-change gearing, clutching means interposed between themotor and power train, a throttle valve controlling flow of fuel to the motor and biased to maximum-fuel position, an accelerator pedal biased tov minimumfuel position, connections between said pedal and throttle valve comprising two elements having a one-way interlock toward minimum-fuel positioning of the throttle valve by the bias of the pedal, power-actuated means for alternatively positioning the clutching means, a control element controlling application of power to said power-actuated means, a second power-actuated means, a two-way connection between said second power-actuated means and the throttle valve, and a one-way connection between said second power-actuated means and the control element of the'power-actuated clutch-operating means.

12. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a speed change gearing of a 'step-by-step type and embodying a controlling lever comprising a forcereceiving element and a force-delivering element, one having a limited movement, relative to the other, a power actuated means, clutch-operating means including a control element, a solenoid,

-' connections between said solenoid and the control element of the power-actuated clutch-operating means, and an energizing circuit for said solenoid, said circuit including separable terminals one of which is carried by the said forcereceivingelement whereby said solenoid is energized to cause power-actuated declutching preliminary to gear shift;

13. The combination of a motor of the internal combustion type, a power train including a step- .b'y-step speed-change gearing, clutching means interposed between the motor and power train, a throttle valve controlling flow of fuel to the motor, operator-controlled means for primarily predetermining a current maximum-fuel-positioning of the throttle'valve, power-actuated means for shifting the clutching means to declutched position, means for selectively positioning the speed-changing gearing, a control-element for controlling the'application of power to the power-actuated clutch-operating means, a solenoid, connections between said solenoid, the control element of the clutch-operating means and the throttle valve whereby declutching is accompanied by throttle-valve minimum-fuel positioning, an energizing circuit for said solenoid controlled by the gear shift, connections between saidv operator-controlled means and the control ing separable contacts controlled by the gearelement for controlling the application of power shift.

to the power-actuated clutch-operating means 14'. Mechanism of the character specified in comprising a pair of separable elements, a second claim 13 and including means controlled by the solenoid, means controlled by said second soleclutch-operating means for preventing opening 51 noid' for establishing or disestablishing c0nnec movement of the fuel valve until approximately: tion between said separable elements, and an enthe time of clutch engagement. ergizing circuit for said second solenoid compris- FOREST S. CARTWRIGHT. 

